"He used to come to have a cup of tea with the sisters," she told us, "and he was so humble. He would pick up his cup and go and wash it himself. He was a brother."

As cardinal, he sometimes said Mass in grand, ornate spaces, like the city's metropolitan cathedral. But he also embraced more modest churches, like Our Lady of Mercy.

Rabino was overjoyed to see Bergoglio's elevation:

"What an honor," she told us. "I saw him happy because it is the will of God. And he is there for rebirth for the church."

On Sunday, there will be a special Mass of celebration at the cathedral. On Tuesday, the day of Pope Francis' installation, church bells throughout the Archdiocese of Buenos Aires will ring for 10 minutes at noon to mark the occasion.

Elaine Quijano was named a CBS News correspondent in January 2010. Quijano reports for "CBS This Morning" and the "CBS Evening News," and contributes across all CBS News platforms. She is based in New York.